Does Mary Poppin’s West End revival spell Trouble for Frozen

[bdn223]

Posted: 9/13/18 at 6:15pm

So Disney’s first revival on Broadway or the West End will be Mary Poppin’s next fall after Aladdin finishes a 3 year run. This honestly makes me think that Disney’s view on Frozen’s current prospects aren’t that good. One would think Frozen would be Disney’s first thought in a show to open in the West End after Aladdin, or am I wrong? I know Disney doesn’t have the best track record with West End transfers, but it just seems weird that a revival of Mary Poppins will be Disney’s next production to open in the West End.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 9/13/18 at 6:21pm

Good for Charlie! I wonder if broadway might see a Mary Poppins revival down the line.

As for the question about frozen, it does seem odd. Maybe Disney is going to focus on opening up the national tour before thinking about a west end transfer.

[ggersten]

Posted: 9/13/18 at 6:23pm

Whew. That still leaves time for the Strallen sisters to be Tevye's daughters in Fiddler at the Menier.  

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 9/13/18 at 6:29pm

If they’re closing Aladdin there, can they close it here too, please?

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 9/13/18 at 6:39pm

Given how Aladdin has still been grossing over $1,000,000 a week on Broadway, I doubt it'll be closing anytime soon.

[zainmax]

Posted: 9/13/18 at 6:48pm

Cameron gets what Cameron wants.

[BroadwayNYC2]

Posted: 9/13/18 at 6:55pm

I enjoyed the hell out of Mary Poppins on Broadway and would much rather have it on Broadway than Aladdin or Frozen. 

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 9/13/18 at 7:19pm

zainmax said: "Cameron gets what Cameron wants."

I was just going to ask, is this a Disney decision or a Cameron Mackintosh decision?

[BroadwayBear2]

Posted: 9/13/18 at 7:37pm

Will we get a revival in the US as well?

[BritCrit]

Posted: 9/13/18 at 7:51pm

bdn223 said: "So Disney’s first revival on Broadway or the West End will be Mary Poppin’s next fall after Aladdin finishes a 3 year run. This honestly makes me think that Disney’s view on Frozen’s current prospects aren’t that good. One would think Frozen would be Disney’s first thought in a show to open in the West End after Aladdin, or am I wrong? I know Disney doesn’t have the best track record with West End transfers, but it just seems weird that a revival of Mary Poppins will be Disney’s next production to open in the West End."

I think Frozen is still on track to open at Drury Lane in 2020. In spite of all the speculation that its success may be built on foundations of sand, grosses of $2 million a week and attendance from the likes of Kanye and Beyoncé is proof that Frozen has done pretty well on Broadway so far. In addition, it is directed by West End icon Michael Grandage, and we want to showcase his biggest project on our biggest stage. Even if grosses drop sharply, I can still imagine a Tarzan-type situation where Frozen is reworked for the West End and becomes a long-runner there (just as Tarzan became a major hit in Germany). 

The revival of Mary Poppins is not going to affect Frozen’s chances of reaching the West End. Mary Poppins plays to a slightly different audience and should not be considered a rival to Frozen. However, Mary Poppins Returns will provide more publicity for the Mary Poppins brand when it arrives at Christmas, and a West End revival would be a good way of exploiting this...

[brdwybound04]

Posted: 9/13/18 at 7:54pm

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious-MARRY-POPPINS-to-Return-to-the-West-End-in-2019-20180913

[Dallas Theatre Fan]

Posted: 9/13/18 at 8:34pm

BritCrit said: "I think Frozen is still on track to open at Drury Lane in 2020. In spite of all the speculation that its success may be built on foundations of sand, grosses of $2 million a week and attendance from the likes of Kanye and Beyoncé is proof that Frozen has done pretty well on Broadway so far. In addition, it is directed by West End icon Michael Grandage, and we want to showcase his biggest project on our biggest stage. Even if grosses drop sharply, I can still imagine a Tarzan-type situation where Frozen is reworked for the West End and becomes a long-runner there (just as Tarzan became a major hit in Germany).

I've heard the plan is to have Frozen to open in the summer or fall 2020 following the refurbishment of Theatre Royal Drury Lane.  Disney is probably just going to send a carbon copy over to the West End with minimum changes.

The Mary Poppins revival was rumored to go into Adelphi Theatre once Kinky Boots closed but, Waitress beat Disney to the punch so they moved it to The Prince of Edwards.

This might be far left field but I been thinking that Mary Poppins might be a place holder for Frozen (I don't see Mary Poppins running longer then a year) to come to London if the Drury Lane renovation hits any snags since they are trying to build a restaurant inside Drury Lane.

 

 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 9/13/18 at 9:30pm

Is it just the same production

[ggersten]

Posted: 9/13/18 at 10:28pm

RippedMan said: "Is it just the same production"

There is discussion over on theatreboard that the production of Mary Poppins to go into the Prince Edward is just the current tour version.  However, it likely will have some "new" or "additional" choreography.  I have no personal knowledge - just spreading gossip.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 9/13/18 at 10:30pm

So, cheap?

[michaeldeanmorgan]

Posted: 9/13/18 at 10:59pm

I worked on Mary Poppins for a few years as a performer. Cameron called most of the shots when it came to the UK. I think this is more Cameron than Disney.

[Dallas Theatre Fan]

Posted: 9/13/18 at 11:03pm

RippedMan said: "So, cheap?"

It is the same set used when the show toured across the US from 09-13. So cheap but not that cheap...

The Prince Edward was MP's original home in London so they might have some of that set sitting in storage somewhere.  But I think the days of the a full staged Banks house is gone.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 9/14/18 at 12:06am

I kind of liked the pop up book design better anyway.

[DrewBill]

Posted: 9/14/18 at 2:30am

I could be wrong, but I doubt Frozen will make it to the West End. It was planned to be the first show in the newly renovated Drury Lane Theater -- the theater is closing sometime in 2019 for 12-18+ months for a major $45 million renovation -- but I just can't see ALW actually doing that now. After such a big investment, he's not going to reopen his theater in 2020 or 2021 with a show that has been a critical disappointment on Broadway. There is little-to-no buzz around Frozen now, and it will be even less in 2 or 3 years.

 

Sometime after 42nd Street closes, and work begins on the theater, expect a low-key joint announcement from ALW and Disney. It will say something like "a delay in the renovation is going to negatively impact the planned opening of Frozen, so sadly the London production will be put on hold for the foreseeable future." Then few months later, a different show will be announced for the space.

[Dolly80]

Posted: 9/14/18 at 2:50am

bdn223 said: "So Disney’s first revival on Broadway or the West End will be Mary Poppin’s next fall after Aladdin finishes a 3 year run. This honestly makes me think that Disney’s view on Frozen’s current prospects aren’t that good. One would think Frozen would be Disney’s first thought in a show to open in the West End after Aladdin, or am I wrong? I know Disney doesn’t have the best track record with West End transfers, but it just seems weird that a revival of Mary Poppins will be Disney’s next production to open in the West End."

 

Your comments make no sense. You clearly don’t get how it works. Cameron owns that theatre and wants it on so he can benefit from the films release later in the year. It has nothing to do with Disney only being able to focus on one show opening at a time- which is not true. It’s about what show is right for what theatre.

 

Frozen is currently booked to open at the Drury Lane Theatre Royal after it’s  refurbishment, although rumour has it that it won’t happen as everyone knows Frozen is rubbish and it’s hardly the show on everyone’s lips.

My prediction is that Moulin Rouge will get Drury Lane and Frozen will open elsewhere in Europe where they seem to like 3rd rate Disney shows (Tarzan/Aladdin etc) 

[BritCrit]

Posted: 9/14/18 at 5:32am

DrewBill said: "I could be wrong, but I doubt Frozen will make it to the West End. It was planned to be the first show in the newly renovated Drury Lane Theater -- the theater is closing sometime in 2019 for 12-18+ months for a major $45 million renovation -- but I just can't see ALW actually doing that now.After such a big investment, he'snot going to reopen his theater in 2020 or 2021 with a show that has been a critical disappointment on Broadway. There is little-to-no buzz around Frozen now, and it will be even less in 2 or 3 years.



Sometime after 42nd Street closes, and work begins on the theater, expect a low-key joint announcement from ALW and Disney. It will say somethinglike "a delay in the renovation is going to negatively impact the planned opening of Frozen, so sadly the London production will be put on hold for the foreseeable future."Then few months later, a different show will be announced for the space."

 

I am not keen on the rumors that Frozen will not make it to the West End. The underwhelming critical reception was quite an embarrassment for Disney Theatrical, and I am aware of the speculation that the impressive grosses so far have been artificially inflated by scalpers who have failed to offload their tickets. However, Frozen has still spent all summer in the Top 5 highest earners (usually outgrossing its rival Wicked) and its status as a 'feminist' property is still a strong selling point when the majority of Broadway openings in the 2018-19 season are focused on male protagonists. I agree that it won't keep up the $2 million momentum long, but it will definitely still be around by the time Frozen 2 is out. If the touring and junior versions are a success and Frozen 2 proves a hit, it could bring plenty of positive publicity and keep Frozen afloat for a year or two longer. But if both of these flop, then Frozen will be forced to close sooner rather than later...

However, I don't think Frozen's performance on Broadway will affect its chances of making the West End. Drury Lane staged Shrek (another adaptation of a revisionist fairy tale beloved by millennials) in spite of the fact it had a very underwhelming run on Broadway, and Frozen has the major advantage of being helmed by a renowned British director. Michael Grandage's overly serious and reverential approach towards Frozen has been a key reason for its critical disappointment, but he is still loved and respected in the West End, as the success of his plays there demonstrates. I believe that the Really Useful Group would only shut Grandage if Frozen is a mega-flop, and I don't really see that happening.